Burnt Before Christmas

UV indices have been
added to the www.metservice.com website weather forecasts
for 42 places around New Zealand.

"Now that the days are
longer than the nights, and the sun is higher in the sky"
commented MetService Weather Ambassador, Bob McDavitt, "UV
levels are rising faster than the temperature."

For many
people exposure to a UV reading of 6 or more for longer than
30 minutes is all it takes to get sun burnt. "These levels
are already happening, but the recent swing back to cool
temperatures, along with cloudy and windy days, people may
not be feeling the warmth that normally accompanies
sunlight. This is especially so on the ski fields, where UV
is higher and there is more reflected light."

Mr. McDavitt
added that sun protection will be more important that normal
this summer. "A drop in the solar wind and increase in
cosmic rays have combined this year with pollution to
produce the largest Ozone hole ever observed over
Antarctica. This hole is likely to break up in November and
December and may lead to higher than normal UV levels over
New Zealand."

The UV levels found on the MetService
website provide a timely reminder to slip, slop, slap and
wrap, even during the cool days of spring.

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